Hi! I'm looking for a .50ct round hot pink stone for my old setting. What are some really tough stones to look at? I'd be wearing it everyday as a RHR.
Sapphire and spinel are durable enough to be worn everyday. Also note that a 0.5 ct diamond will have a different measurement than a 0.5 ct sapphire or spinel. When shopping for one, aim to look at the dimensions and not the carat weight.
I second a spinel, especially a mahenge, which glows, for hot pink. Also, I wanted to add that the Mohs scale is not always the best way to tell. Topaz is high on the list, but the crystal structure means that they actually break quite easily. Emerald is even worse, a lot of cutters won''t work with it as I understand it because it can just crumble even though it is hard.